Fighting Neutrals With Neutrals: Ways to Liven Up A Living Space

There are many advantages to choosing to outfit a room in neutrals. There’s a lesser chance of having clashing elements going on, for one thing, and often, a room leaning on neutrals breathes a lux tastefulness. But there are ways of over-doing the beiges to the point where your space looks like a showroom, like a place no real people live. If you want to maintain a chic, toned-down look, without losing personality, consider brightening up the space with a black or navy accent—still in the neutral zone, but bold enough to avoid becoming boring.

Maybe you’ve got a room that you’re planning on decorating, and you’ve decided to do that neutral thing. While you’re choosing decor that comes in classic and relaxing shades of white, gray, and beige, you may want to consider thisTampa Bay Times article. A little spice and punch—in the form of blacks; prints; or maybe purple, a top design trend for 2015—can make a neutral-oriented room more interesting to look at and seem less overdone.

A Bit of Blue

Accents of blue won’t make you blue. It’s a versatile color that always comes off fresh as we transition into spring, and can evoke a fun, beachy vibe or a more dramatic feel, whatever you prefer. A throw in a darker shade like navy, spread over your neutral-colored sofa gives a rich, statement-making look. A teal-colored bowl that matches the ocean, artfully placed on a stand or end table, and perhaps containing something like seashells, would be a charming blend of soothing and playful.

Black is Bold, and Beautiful

Yes, black goes with everything, but it tends not to figure prominently in a neutral room. That’s because black is also bold. But since when do we completely banish what’s bold from a room? You don’t have to let the strength of the color strong-arm your whole space. You might find a lampshade in a pattern that would normally seem too quaint or busy for your room—but if that pattern comes in black, it suddenly has a certain sophistication. That lampshade might bring the perfect touch of boldness to your space.

Be wary of the current “hot” colors in interior design. What’s hot today might not be hot tomorrow. Fortunately, purple is pretty timeless, the It color of royalty for eons. Plus, we’re accenting with it, so there’s no need for visions of Barney to dance in your head. Purple, next to blue on the color wheel, is also not a stressful color. An eggplant hue is particularly good in the kitchen. In the living room, purple gems around a frame or a highly polished purple vase would add an opulent touch.

When it comes to neutral rooms, HipLatina ladies, why not introduce a burst of brightness and liveliness that mirrors your own?